Kurdish language activist temporarily released from prison

Human rights activist and Kurdish language teacher Zahra Mohammadi, a founding member of the Nozhin Socio-Cultural Association, has been temporarily released from Sanandaj prison.

News Center -  Human rights activist and Kurdish language teacher Zahra Mohammadi has been granted temporary release (10-day release) due to her father’s poor health condition after being held in Sanandaj prison for more than six months.

On 23 May 2019, Zahra Mohammadi was arrested by the security forces in Sanandaj and was released on 2 December 2019 on a bail of 7 billion IRR. In February 2021, she was informed that Branch 4 of the Court of Appeal of the Kurdistan Province sentenced her to five years in prison for her human rights, cultural activities and her membership to cultural associations in the Kurdish region of Iran.

29-year-old Zahra Mohammadi is also the director and a founding member of the Nozhin Socio-Cultural Association, which was established in 2011 and certified by the Iranian Ministry of Interior in 2013. The association raises awareness of the legal and cultural rights ethnic groups are entitled to exercise in Iran and has been active in promoting cultural education through the organisation and holding of Kurdish language classes in various cities in the region. The association also educates people on environmental protection.